Nuro Secures Driverless Lucid SUV Testing Permit for Uber Robotaxis Powered by Nvidia
Nuro received a permit to test driverless Lucid Gravity SUVs equipped with its autonomous system on California public roads, marking the startup’s first license to operate without a human safety operator since its pivot from delivery vehicles. The vehicles, powered by Nvidia’s Drive AGX Thor, will underpin Uber’s premium robotaxi service backed by a $500 million investment and a minimum order of 35,000 Gravity and EV units, with on-road testing slated to begin later this year.
1. Permit Details
Nuro has received a California DMV driverless testing permit modification allowing Lucid Gravity SUVs to operate without a human safety operator on public roads. The startup’s six-year-old driverless permit, previously limited to low-speed delivery vehicles, now covers high-speed passenger testing slated for later this year.
2. Uber and Lucid Agreement
Uber increased its commitment to the Lucid partnership by raising its investment to $500 million and guaranteeing at least 35,000 robotaxi-ready vehicles, including 10,000 Gravity SUVs and 25,000 EVs on Lucid’s mid-size platform. This expands on Uber’s initial $300 million investment and order for 20,000 units announced in July 2025.
3. Nvidia Drive AGX Thor Role
Lucid’s robotaxi models are equipped with high-resolution cameras, solid-state lidar sensors, and radars, all integrated with Nvidia’s Drive AGX Thor compute platform to process real-time driving data. The collaboration underscores Nvidia’s growing footprint in autonomous vehicle systems as testing ramps up across multiple U.S. cities.